From top: Fisherman Barry Sullivan remembers while on his boat at Herring Cove, N.S.; businessmen pause for remembrance on Bay Street in downtown Toronto; Leonard Epp of Rockwood Bison pauses while at the farm north of Stonewall, Man.; participating in a candlelight service at Yellowknife, N.W.T., are Lelani, Christine and Linda De Guzman—members of an Inuit family.

Even though he was busy making repairs to his hurricane-damaged boat, Barry Sullivan of Herring Cove, N.S., knew exactly what he had to do at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2003. The lobster fisherman put down his tools and removed his ball cap. He then sat down on the side of his boat–the Cape Islander–bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Sullivan’s silent moment was among the images captured on film for this coast-to-coast-to-coast Remembrance Day photo essay that begins in St. John’s, Nfld., and ends in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Altogether, millions of Canadians stopped what they were doing to remember the 116,000 Canadians who have died while serving in Canada’s army, air force, navy and merchant navy. And for many, it seems that the ceremonies–especially the silence–carry more meaning from one year to the next, owing to the ongoing violence in the world.

For Sullivan, his thoughts were with his dad, a 30-year veteran of Canada’s navy. He also thought of those serving today­going into harm’s way in places like Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

Indeed, the importance of remembrance has never been greater.